Welcome to First Congregational UCC of Burlington

You are invited to worship in person at First Church at 9am on Sundays (through the summer months) in our beautiful Sanctuary at 38 South Winooski Avenue in Burlington OR via the live-stream (or later recording) on the FirstChurchBTV YouTube Channel. Fellowship time follows worship at First Church.

Summer Worship at First Church!  Blessed by the beauty of Vermont summers, one of the best ways to celebrate God’s creation is to get outside and be in it! To help maximize your weekend time, and in hopes of a slightly cooler sanctuary, worship will be at 9:00am every Sunday at First Church throughout the summer. Children’s programming and special music will continue throughout the summer months!

Worship on the Waterfront on July 20 and August 31… Celebrate summer with worship on the waterfront at the Community Sailing Center. A family-friendly, music-driven service will start at 9:30am (with bagels and coffee!) followed by sailing sessions, paddling, art activities, games, a cookout, and more! Wear sunscreen (and a swimsuit if you’re planning to get in the lake!) and bring a blanket or lawn chair for the post-worship picnic.

Planning to head down to the Community Sailing Center for Sail Into Summer this Sunday – July 20 – at 9:30am? Make sure to sign up for sailing lessons HERE (open to ALL ages 6 and up). This music-driven, family-friendly worship service will happen, rain or shine on the covered third-floor deck of the sailing center. Click HERE for more information.

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The Order of Worship, Announcements, etc. for Sunday worship services will be linked below – prior to the worship service:

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If you weren’t able to be present at Ava’s ordination on July 12th, you can listen to the Zoom recording HERE. Special highlights include the Rev. Dr. JoAnne Marie Terrell’s sermon at 24:55 and the Rev. Dr. James Ross, II’s charge to our congregation at 1:28:50.

To celebrate this significant moment and milestone in Ava’s journey, her Pastor Parish Relations Team, is organizing a gift from the congregation that she will use in worship for years to come.  (The planned gift is a commissioned pottery set – a chalice and plate for communion designed and made by a gifted Australian artist).  Any funds donated over what is needed for the gift will be given to Ava as part of our collective gift.  Please send your donation by check to First Congregational Church, MEMO: Ordination Gift, or donate via Realm using this LINK and select Ordination Gift from the giving options.

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FINALLY! Peace Camp is Here!  Since 2018, we have gathered with College Street Congregational Church for a multi-generational faith formation experience – PEACE CAMP! This year, we are focusing our fun and fellowship over two evenings, July 23rd and 24th. Sign-up to participate and/or volunteer at bit.ly/PeaceCamp25 or email abilton@firstchurchburlington.org for more information.

Peace Camp is coming up this Wednesday and Thursday evening, July 23rd and 24th from 5:15-7:30pm. Click HERE to register to participate and/or volunteer. Click HERE for more details.

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Worship with College Street at 10:00am In celebration of the Peace Camp’s fun and fellowship, First Church will gather at College Street for worship on Sunday July 27th at 10am. Whether you’re able to attend Peace Camp or not, this is a joyful Sunday full of music and laughter for all to enjoy. Special witnesses from this year’s youth trip to Rutland will be shared as well. 

• As we will be participating in the joint worship service at 10am on July 27 at the College Street Church – there will not be a 9am worship at FCCB on July 27.

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Fiction? Non-Fiction? Why not both?!  FCCB is offering two book groups on Wednesday evenings – through August – over Zoom:

• Wednesdays at 6:00pm, discuss a physician’s fictional parable for wise leadership and community building: In the Arms of Elders by William H. Thomas – a pick intended to inspire us to imagine new frameworks for building community – meeting next to discuss pages 1 thru 80 on Wednesday July 30th at 6pm.
• Wednesdays at 7:15pm, gather to consider the non-fiction narrative Rough Sleepers by Tracy Kidder, and the ways that doctor Jim O’Connell created a community of care for his city’s unhoused population.  The group will discuss the Introduction – Chapter 3 next Wednesday, July 23rd.
• Copies of both books are available for purchase in the office.

In the Arms of Elders (6:00 pm) –  CLICK HERE for the Zoom link: 

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86033897387?pwd=fyJN7hFaqruU1pamd1iqFKmmkQIMuY.1

Rough Sleepers (7:15 pm) – CLICK HERE for the Zoom link:  https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85710373173?pwd=7IE3rzKn0JP1WbQyzFrtq4jU8LVwTN.1

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Have you seen the new FCCB Love Thy Neighbor T-shirts?! Get yours after worship or in the church office, and be sure to wear it around town!

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Let’s Grow Our Church!   Walk together through our neighborhood with intentionality, seeking new and vital ways to participate in our community which allows us to build ministry: This is a crucial step in growing our church. Mark your calendars for Sundays July 27th, August 10th, and August 24th for an after-worship neighborhood stroll—and a creemee follow-up discussion!  Click HERE to learn more!

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Pull Together  There is still time to join Team Captain Baki Nelson and the First Church Dragonboat Team – one of the best ways to get connected within the church, support our community, and enjoy the beauty of the Burlington waterfront. Click HERE to learn more – or – email Baki, fn.info@icloud.com. Ready to sign up now? Here’s how to register with the Pull Together First Church team: http://bit.ly/DragonheartFCCB  Dragonheart race day is Sunday August 3rd. Scholarships are available!

Let’s “Pull Together” and Support Our Paddlers:
Dragonboat donations – made by check to First Church, MEMO: Dragonboat – or online through Realm – CLICK HERE and choose Dragonboat from the fund options – will be used to support the participation and sponsorship of our paddlers.  Thank you for contributing!

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Where Two or Three Are Gathered In My Name

Head down to the Waterfront at 7:30am on the third Tuesday of August to share in a breakfast picnic! Bring your own meal, coffee or tea, and a chair or blanket and share in fellowship on the beautiful shores of Lake Champlain. AND that’s not all… Fellowship Breakfasts at the church will continue at 7:15am on the first Tuesday of each month – August 5.

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All Choirs resume in the fall.

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GOOD NEIGHBOR CREWS help make sure the church grounds and our surrounding neighborhood are kept clean, tidy, and safe for all to enjoy. Volunteers are needed to help with daily cleaning sweeps of the grounds and spend time out on the porch connecting with community members. To find out more and volunteer, email Office Administrator, Will Gunger, office@firstchurchburlington.org.

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OUR THRIFT STORE – THE POSSIBILITY SHOP:
• Our Thrift Shop has a long history of serving the community and church!

The Possibility Shop is opening on Saturdays again! Starting on Saturday, July 19th, the Possibility Shop will be open from 10am-1pm on the first and third Saturday of every month. They currently need men’s clothing and accessories in good condition, and large paper grocery bags.

Donations & Volunteers are needed!  Please bring Possibility Shop donations to First Church any time between 10am and 3pm – Wednesday though Friday. Clean clothing and household items in good condition are always needed.

VOLUNTEERS INVITED:
• Greet customers in the midway (near Church Office) – a great opportunity for readers and knitters!
• Assist with the financial aspects of the shop, @two to three hours per month.
• Handle and help sell older, valuable items that are donated to the shop.
• Questions? call Karan Dewar 802-922-3821 or Brenda Fraser 802-862-4747.

Thank you.

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The FCCB Climate Justice Team offers articles via the Climate Corner (website page) to share ideas about what we can do to help preserve this beautiful world and the life on it that we’ve inherited. CLICK HERE to check out the on the First Church website Climate Corner

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Our FirstChurchBTV Outreach Team invites volunteers to donate meals for youth at Outright Vermont gatherings. Want to know more? Please contact Outreach Team member Louise Brewster at lrbrewster@gmail.com for details and potential dates.

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MEAL TRAIN: A First Church Pastoral Care Ministry!
Our PIPC – Partners In Pastoral Care – Team and affiliated volunteers known as: “Friends at First” have been busy in the ministry of providing meals for many years. In collaboration with our clergy, PIPC coordinates meal deliveries within our church community in response to various times of need. Interested in participating in an upcoming Meal Train? Contact: Lucy Samara at lsamara@firstchurchburlington.org

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NAME TAGS BUILD COMMUNITY  Please drop by – or call the Church Office – 802 862 5010 ext 4 to request a name tag – let us know your specific name request (nickname, pronouns, etc.). Thank you!